ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Queens University of Charlotte Royals traveled to the U.S. Naval Academy on Saturday for their second match of the young season.
Navy struck first with a try in the 10th minute, but Queens responded shortly after.
Roan Shawver powered over the line off a maul, and
Hilton Olivier slotted the conversion to give the Royals a 7–5 lead. The match continued as a back-and-forth contest, but Navy regained control with a try from a maul of their own. A yellow card to
Kadden Boyette left Queens down a man for the remainder of the first half. Despite one final chance before halftime, Navy stole a lineout to close the half with a 12–7 advantage.
The second half proved to be the turning point, as Navy's attack came alive. Two quick tries within the first four minutes extended their lead to 26–7. The Royals fought back with a well-placed grubber kick that set up Gideon Wessels for a try, closing the gap to 26–14 after another Olivier conversion. However, Navy's relentless pace and pressure proved too much, as they piled on late scores to seal a 50–14 victory.
Queens now sits at 1–1 on the season.
"We have a lot to work on, but this is why we play at this level," said Queens Head Men's Rugby Coach
Tyree Reed. "We want to challenge ourselves and continue to grow. We're only two weeks into the season and have only been together for three weeks. There's a lot to improve on, and Navy highlighted those mistakes. Still, there are positives we can build from. We'll regroup and be ready for our first conference match."
The Royals will use their upcoming bye week to prepare for their conference opener at home against St. Bonaventure University on Saturday, September 27. The first XV will kick off at 12:00 PM, followed by the second XV at 2:00 PM.
Match Stats
